Separable butter-case.



w. IvI. WAY.

SEPARABLE BUTTER CASE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. s. 1913.

1,146,219. Patented July I3, 1915.

UruTED STATES PATENT Eric.

y WALTER M. WAY, or TAcoivrA, WASHINGTON.

SEPARABLE BUTTER-CASE.

rSpecification of Letters latent.v Patented July 13, 1915.

Application sied november 3. 191s. i serial No. 798,967.

T0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, VVALTER'M. WAYciti zen of the United States, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separable Butter- Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to separable crates, more particularly to devices of this charac.- ter adapted for shipping butter and similar products, and wherein provision is made for separating the parts of the crate and leaving the contents supported upon thebottom of the crate.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claim, and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the imported device in closed position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the improved device in open position. i

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following descriptionand indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The improved device may be constructed of any suitable material and of any suitable size and comprising a back member 10, and members 11-12, a front 13, a bottom 14 and a top 15. The end members 11-12bear by their ends against the inner faces of the back 10 and the front 13, while the top 15 bears when closed upon the upper edges of the back front and ends. The end member 11 is hingedly united at 16 to the back 10, while the end member 12 is united to the back 10 by similar hinges not shown. The front 13 is hingedly united to the end 11 at 18, while the top 15 is hingedly united at 19 to the back 10. The top 15 and the front 13 are provided with a suitable fastening device such as a hasp and staple indicated conven tionally at 20. The end 12 and the front 13 are detachably coupled by a suitable fastening device such as hooks and eyes represented at 21. Directed inwardly from the end 11 is a cleat 22, while a similar cleat 23 is directed inwardly from the end 12, the cleats being located at the lower edges of the end members. The bottom 14 is provided at its ends with rabbets 2li-25 which engage the relation to the end 11, while vcleats 22-23 and is supportedthereby with the Vlower face of the bottom flush with the lower edges of the front back and end members. The bottom 14 is thus supported upon the cleats'but is not connectedotherwise to the 4back front and end members.` By this simple arrangement the improved device when folded is firmly supported in position from'collapsing, while at the same time by releasing the fastening devices 20-21 the front 13 and the ends 11-12 can be swung laterally away from the bottom 111 leaving the latter resting upon the ground as indi*` cated in Fig. 2. Thus the top, front, sidesA and ends of the device may be removed leaving the contents upon the bottom 14C and accessible from all sides. Thus when employed as a carrier for butter and like commodities the butter can be left standing upon the bottom lel and the casing removed entirely and without disturbing the contents, but leaving the latter accessible from all sides.

The improved device y is particularly adapted to shipping commodities of various kinds which will retain its position when the closure is removed.

The improved device may be employed for shipping any class of goods which is. capable of being arranged in piles which will retain its shape when the walls of the casing are removed as will be obvious and will be found convenient for shipping goods of this character.

Hand grip recesses 26 are preferably formed in the end members 11-12. By this arrangement it will be obvious that the top 15 may be disposed in parallel relation to the back 10, the ends 11-12 disposed in longitudinal alinement with the back 10 and the front 13 disposed substantially in parallel the bottom 14 may be disposed against `the back 10. By this arrangement the device may be arranged to occupy a comparatively small space for return shipment or storage.

The improved device is simple in construction, can be constructed of any required size and of any suitable material.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a device of the class described, a casing including a back, and walls each hingedly connected at one side edge to the ends of the back, a front hingedly connected at one end to one of said end walls at its. side edge ref mote from the back, a connection between the front at its other end and the other of said end walls at its side edge remote from the back, the front and back overlapping the end walls and bearing at their ends against the side edges of said end walls, a top hingedly connected at one side edge with the upper side edge of the back, the top being movable to bear over the upper edges of the back, front and the end walls, transversely extending Cleats secured to the end walls adjacent the lower side edges thereof, the said Cleats extending throughout the entire width of the end walls to bear at their ends against the front and back and having their lower faees flush with the adjacent lower Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents ea'crh,

side edges of the end walls, and a bottom having transversely extending rabbets formed therein at its ends and in one face thereof, the cleats fitting within said rabbets and supporting the bottom with the lower edges of the front, back and the end walls, the lower faces of the Cleats, and the lower face of the bottom disposed in a common plane.

In testimony whereof I afhx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER M. WAY.

Witnesses: Y

L. STEWART, VMAUDE WAY.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

